Identification & Site Information

• Name: HENRY HUBBARD (some sources list it as BELA HUBBARD)
• Other Names: Possible confusion with another vessel
• Official Number: None assigned
• Date Built and Launched: 1833 or earlier
• Builder: Possibly D.M. Hagedon, Port Huron, Michigan (1842)
• Original Home Port: Not documented
• Vessel Type: Two-masted wooden Schooner
• Hull Materials: Wood
• Number of Decks: 1
• Power:
• Number of Masts: 2
• Measurements: (Uncertain, but possibly related to a similar vessel built in 1842)
• Possible Length: 59 ft (18 m)
• Possible Beam: 17 ft (5.2 m)
• Possible Depth: 6 ft (1.8 m)
• Possible Tonnage: 53 tons
• Master at Time of Loss: Captain Pearson (drowned)

Vessel Type

The HENRY HUBBARD (or BELA HUBBARD) was a small two-masted Schooner, a common vessel type in the early Great Lakes shipping industry. Schooners like this were primarily used for cargo transport, carrying lumber, grain, and general freight between Michigan, Ohio, and Canadian ports.

However, details on this vessel are scarce, and some records suggest it may have been confused with another ship of the same name, possibly built in 1842 by D.M. Hagedon at Port Huron, Michigan.

History

The HENRY HUBBARD had a short and largely undocumented service life, likely sailing the Great Lakes trade routes before its tragic sinking in 1845.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1833 or earlier: Built, though its exact origins remain unclear.
• Pre-1845: Used for cargo transport, likely between Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Detroit.

One notable claim suggests that Peter White, who later became a wealthy iron magnate, was part of the crew, but this has not been fully verified.

Final Disposition

The HENRY HUBBARD was lost on June 8, 1845, near Thunder Bay Island, Lake Huron, in a violent storm.

The Disaster

• The Schooner capsized and Foundered, sinking quickly.
• All hands were lost, including Captain Pearson.
• No further details exist about the circumstances of the wreck.

Some records claim the vessel was seen wintering in Detroit in 1845-46, but this conflicts with the loss date, suggesting there may be a mix-up with another ship of the same name.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. The wreck of the HENRY HUBBARD has never been found.

Thunder Bay Island is part of an area known for many shipwrecks, but due to the lack of exact coordinates and the vessel’s small size, its remains may be buried or dispersed.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported near Thunder Bay Island, Lake Huron.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File

Conclusion

The HENRY HUBBARD (or BELA HUBBARD) remains a mystery, with conflicting reports about its construction, loss, and even existence.

Its loss near Thunder Bay Island adds it to the long list of early Great Lakes shipwrecks, many of which remain undiscovered due to incomplete records from the early 19th century.

The lack of survivors or eyewitness accounts means the true fate of the ship may never be fully known.

If you’d like to learn more about Thunder Bay shipwrecks, early schooners, or the history of Peter White, let me know!